Podcast Episodes

Karel Reisz

Film director Stephen Frears discusses the life of his mentor, Czech-born director, Karel Reisz, with the help of critic and Reisz's friend, John Lah…

13 years, 8 months ago

Stan Laurel

Ken Dodd explains to Matthew Parris why movie legend Stan Laurel inspired him to get into comedy.

Born Stan Jefferson into a theatrical family, in Lan…

13 years, 8 months ago

Juvenal

Matthew Parris invites writer and comic Natalie Haynes to explain why her nomination for a Great Life is a Roman poet about whose life we know very l…

13 years, 9 months ago

Leonard Maguire

Matthew Parris finds out why the actor Bill Paterson would nominate for Great Life status a Scottish actor little known outside Scotland. He is Leona…

13 years, 9 months ago

Walter Scott

Tory MP author and adventurer Rory Stewart champions the life of Sir Walter Scott. Presenter Matthew Parris is joined by Scott's biographer Stuart Ke…

13 years, 9 months ago

Josephine Bonaparte

"I get to Milan," wrote Napoleon. "I fling myself into your room. I have left everything in order to see you, to clasp you in my arms .... you were n…

13 years, 9 months ago

Henry Cooper

The date is June 18 1963, the final seconds of the fourth round of a boxing match. In the ring, Henry Cooper, eight years older and 26 pounds lighter…

13 years, 10 months ago

Sebastian Walker

Lynn Barber first met Sebastian Walker at Oxford. "He was the first person I'd ever met who was gay...quite funny looking with a big adam's apple an…

14 years ago

Goya

Diana Athill joins Matthew Parris to explore the life of the Spanish painter, Francisco de Goya, who has been called the last old masters and the fir…

14 years ago

John Ford

John Ford had a monumental Hollywood career - over 140 films, Oscars he never turned up to receive, and a blunt way of approaching the business that …

14 years ago